poem of the day 07.23.08

refrigerator

we sit in the heat
the beer gone
awaiting madness.
the beer had done us
no good anyway.
then i rise.
i got to the refrigerator for water.
the fridge doesn’t
feel cold enough
but in this heat
cold is something
i believe
i can no longer understand.
but still
i take the water out
and place it on the counter
then i put my ear
to the side of the fridge
letting the cool
beaded plastic touch my face.
i listen for the motor
as sweat rolls
into my eyes.
i’m convinced this machine
is dead
and $200 in food will spoil.
i lean heavier into the fridge,
treat it like i’m listening
to a bad heart.
then the fridge kicks on
and i smile like a manic scientist
although i’ve done nothing.
when i look up
my wife is standing there
watching me,
pouring a glass of water.
she looks at me like she
finally understand madness
and me,
i feel like i’ve done it
and finally gone
completely mad.